Magical Merlins

Abstract

Magical Merlins, edited and mostly written by Bruce Haak, an accomplished raptor biologist, bander, and Journal of Raptor Research (JRR) contributor, provides an approachable introduction to Merlin (Falco columbarius) ecology focused on North America's Pacific Northwest. This attractive book was written for falcon enthusiasts, raptor biologists, and even the casual reader interested in learning more about birds of prey. Haak and his collaborators summarize several local scientific studies of wintering and breeding Merlins and provide a thorough description of the three Merlin subspecies that occur in North America. These subspecies include the taiga Merlin (F. c. columbarius), the prairie or Richardson's Merlin (F. c. richardsonii), and the black Merlin (F. c. suckleyi). The book contains many wonderful color illustrations from numerous artists including Hans Peters, N. John Schmitt, and Carl Bass, as well as an assortment of color photographs attributed to the author and many contributors. Three chapters are written by coauthors and serve as strong additions to this collaborative work.The book begins with what the author describes as a personal challenge to back up his assertion that Merlins were relatively common in Idaho, and not a Species of Greatest Conservation Need as declared by the Idaho Department of Fish and Game in 2005. With this task in mind, Haak embarks on a journey to learn about Merlin breeding and wintering ecology in southwestern Idaho. To learn more, Haak connects with other researchers studying Merlins, primarily in the Pacific Northwest, some of whom form the Magical Merlins writing team.In Chapter 1 (Embracing the Species), Haak introduces us to his fortuitous collaboration with Dr. Leon Powers researching urban nesting accipiters; this collaboration led to the unexpected discovery that Merlins were occupying the same towns and cities in which the researchers were searching for Cooper's Hawks (Accipiter cooperii) and Sharpshinned Hawks (A. striatus).